Natural eutectic systems as sweetener ingredient technology for low pH applications

Overview

This solution leverages natural eutectic systems (ES) as an innovative sweetener ingredient technology designed to maintain stability in low pH environments. Eutectic systems are formed by combining hydrogen bond acceptors (HBA) and hydrogen bond donors (HBD) through hydrogen bond interactions. By selecting natural, non-toxic components such as sugars and FDA-approved choline salts, this technology enables the development of sweetener formulations with tailored physical, chemical, and biological properties. The result is a low-cost, scalable, and biocompatible ingredient platform suitable for food, pharmaceutical, and biological applications where conventional sweeteners may degrade or lose functionality under acidic conditions.

Technical specifications

Core composition:

• Hydrogen bond acceptors: choline chloride and other biocompatible choline salts (FDA-approved for food and pharmaceutical use)
• Hydrogen bond donors: natural sugars including fructose, sucrose, lactose, and glucose
• Optional water content to optimize system stability and properties

Key features:

• Tunable ratios between HBA and HBD to modulate final application properties
• Formation verified through NMR, FTIR, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) characterization
• Products obtained as stable gels or solids at room temperature depending on mixture composition
• Enhanced chemical stability profile across varying pH values, including low pH conditions
• Low vapor pressure and improved stability compared to individual components

Applications:

• Food industry sweetener formulations requiring low pH stability
• Pharmaceutical formulations using biocompatible excipient systems
• Biological and life science applications requiring non-toxic, natural ingredient platforms

Technology readiness level

The technology is currently at an early-to-mid stage of development. Initial preparation and characterization of natural eutectic systems combining choline chloride with natural sugars have been completed, and the team has prior success developing biocompatible eutectic systems for drug formulations. The current research plan involves testing multiple ratios (approximately 10 to 12 systems) across different sugar-choline salt combinations, followed by low pH stability testing on the most promising candidates. A second optimization round aims to identify at least 5 natural eutectic systems with appropriate sweetener and stability properties. Full characterization using NMR, FTIR, and DSC techniques is in progress to confirm eutectic formation and validate performance.